The present invention relates to a smart entry system for a vehicle that enables an operation, such as a door unlock, that is conducted by a passenger carrying a portable device when ID verification is confirmed with the portable device.
A smart entry system, in which an onboard device receives ID (identification) signal that is transmitted by a portable device and when verification of ID (identification) code contained in the ID (identification) signal is confirmed, a vehicle door unlock, an engine start or the like are granted, is known.
Specifically, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-269019 discloses the smart entry system, in which at the door unlock operation or the engine start, when the onboard transmitter transmits the request signal and in response to this the portable device transmits the ID signal containing the ID code, the onboard smart key control unit conducts the ID verification based on the ID signal from the portable device. Herein, when this ID verification is confirmed, namely when the ID code contained in the ID signal matches ID code that is stored at the smart keyless control unit, the smart keyless control unit outputs a signal to grant the door unlock or the engine start, and thereby a passenger can execute the door unlock or the engine start with necessary operations.
Further, another type of smart entry system, in which the above-described ID verification with the potable device is conducted additionally at operation of a trunk handle and locking of a trunk lid is cancelled with confirmation of the ID verification, may be considered. Herein, a lock mechanism of the trunk lid is configured such that the trunk lid is mechanically locked when it is closed and it is unlocked by a motor that is operated in response to an unlock signal. Thus, the trunk lid cannot be unlocked by operation of the trunk handle unless the motor is operated. Herein, the unlock signal to operate the motor is transmitted, for example, when the ID verification with the portable device is confirmed with the portable device or when the passenger operates a trunk lever located in a vehicle cabin.
In the above-described smart entry system, in a case where the trunk lid is closed with the portable device located therein, the trunk lid is mechanically locked and thereby the portable device is locked out so that it could not be taken out. In order to avoid this situation, some countermeasure is considered, in which an alarm is conducted to notify the situation and the motor is configured so as to be operated by the operation of the trunk handle without confirmation of ID verification with another portable device. Thereby, the trunk lid is forced to be unlocked by the trunk handle, so it can be opened despite the portable device being locked out. This is a so-called lock-out prevention control.
However, the smart entry system equipped with the above-described lock-out prevention control would have the following problems.
Namely, since the trunk lid is allowed to be unlocked and opened by the operation of the trunk handle without the confirmation of ID verification with another portable device, any unauthorized person who does not carry any portable device to conduct the ID verification could open the trunk lid while the passenger is away form the vehicle, so the vehicle security would deteriorate.
Further, there is a case where the passenger intentionally puts the above-described portable device in the trunk. For example, the passenger puts a spare portable device in a bag or something and then the bag or the like is carried in the trunk. In this case, however, the same situation described above would be established with the spare portable device being located in the trunk, and thus the same problem of the deterioration of the vehicle security described above would occur. Accordingly, the passenger could not put the spare portable device in the trunk in a carefree manner, so utility or facility of the portable device would be deteriorated either.
Also, in a case where the passenger drives a so-called open car type of vehicle, since the car has generally a relatively small baggage space in the vehicle cabin, the passenger tends to put the portable device in the bag and put them in the trunk together in order to prevent the portable device from being lost. In this case, the similar situation to the above would take place as well.